2017 Valley Film Festival Announces Winners

The Valley Film Festival (VFF) has wrapped its 17th showcase of independent film and we look forward to seeing you at VFF18, November 2018!

Producing VFF is a year round effort and we'd like to thank the army of volunteers, filmmakers, sponsors, fans, Laemmle NoHo7 staff, and Community Partners without whom the Festival would not be possible. We sincerely appreciate your time, commitment, and enthusiasm to bring quality cinema to L.A.'s San Fernando Valley each year. 

A very special thanks to Gallery 800 for hosting our closing night awards and Big Sugar Bakeshop for the special treats. Without further ado, we're thrilled to share our 2017 Award Winners:

JACK F. MURPHY AWARD

For Achievement in Independent Filmmaking

John Putch

"10 DEGREES HOTTER" JURIED AWARDS

Short Film

Head Space

Directed by Emma Huibregtse

Documentary Feature

That Never Happened: 

Canada's First National Internment Operations

Produced by Ryan Boyko and Diana Cofini

*U.S. Premiere

Narrative Feature (Foreign)

You Go To My Head

Directed by Dimitri de Clercq

*California Premiere

Narrative Feature (U.S.)

Trouble Is My Business

Directed by Tom Konkle

*World Premiere

BEST MUSIC VIDEO (Juried)

Take Your Time (Lender)

Directed by Max Sachar and Natasha Adorlee Johnson

AUDIENCE AWARDS

The Bail Out

Directed by Christian Guiton

Deaners

Directed by David Garry

Diamond Dayze

Directed by Alexandra Adomaitis

Fractured

Directed by Arnold Chun

Hollywood

Directed by Michael Valinsky

Marc Chung Protects His Address 

Directed by Michael Chan

5 Ways You Can Help VFF17 Today

We can't wait to welcome you back to North Hollywood for the 17th Annual Valley Film Festival, October 25-29, and are excited to announce that our programming is in full swing, with the Los Angeles Premieres of the documentary, That Never Happened: Canada's First National Internment Operations, produced by Ryan Boyko and Diani Cofini, and the feature film, The Father and The Bear, directed by John Putch, which will open the Festival at Laemmle NoHo7.

But first, we need your help before our fiscal year ends on June 30th.

As a non-profit, we rely on your donations and thank you for making us the longest running film festival in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, 17 years and counting! Your donation is tax-deductible and 89 cents of every $1.00 goes directly into producing the Festival and our local economy. Please give what you can today so we may continue to showcase independent films from around the corner and around the world.

Can't give today? We hear you. There are other ways you can help The Valley Film Festival:

• Forward this email to friends
• Like our Facebook page
• Follow us on Twitter
• Get involved and volunteer

Need more reasons to donate to The Valley Film Festival?

• Our volunteer-run team are some of the hardest working people in the entertainment industry. Period. 

• Long before California film incentives, we were rewarding local film production with our signature "Made in the (818)" program.

• We love subtitles! We're not just a local fest, we screen films & host filmmakers from all over the world. Like, totally.

• Dreams start somewhere & never die. We screen films made by & for tweens to octogenarians and welcome all 60+ genders. There's a home for you at VFF.

• Film festivals bring a community of filmmakers and film lovers together to form lasting relationships.

• Because you can.  

The 14th Valley Film Festival Is Here!

The 14th Valley Film Festival kicked off Wednesday night with a packed house for Route 30 Three! we could not have asked for a better film, crowd, or cast & crew to share our special night with. 

The fun continued Thursday night with 8 films directed, produced, and/or written by the awesome women in our "Girls on Film" shorts program.

Countdown To VFF14....Featuring Our Features

VFF sifted through hundreds of feature films this year, from near and far. While we loved many, screening time was limited and cuts were made. We encourage you to browse through our shortlist to see the features we continue to support in spirit. In the here and now, check out the features we'll be screening December 10-14, 2014 at Laemmle NoHo7.


GONE SOUTH: HOW CANADA INVENTED HOLLYWOOD
100 min/Documentary/Canada
Directed by Leslie D. Bland

Don't let the running time scare you off. Trust us when we say you'll be laughing all the way through this comedic and campy look at Canada's pop culture contributions to "Hollywood." Like, did you know Mack Sennent, founding father of Studio City, was from Quebec? VFF loved it because we could totally relate to The Valley's own pop culture contributions being overlooked.  Celebrity interviews are aplenty too, including: Howie Mandel, David Foster, Alex Trebek, Alan Thicke, Shannon Tweed, Dave Thomas, Tommy Chong, Will Sasso, Neve Campbell, Harland Williams, Monty Hall, Arthur Hiller, David Shore, Ted Kotcheff, and Erin Karpluk.

Screens Saturday, December 13 at 12:00pm. Tickets and Info.

THE GREEN GIRL
97 min/Documentary/Los Angeles, CA
Directed by George Pappy

VFF first screened George Pappy in 2011 with his gritty drama, Few Options (currently available on Netflix and Amazon) and The Green Girl is polar opposite. Other than an appearance on Star Trek, George knew nothing else about actress Susan Oliver. Out of curiosity, he looked her up on IMDB and was astonished at her lengthy resume spanning four decades. Not only that, he discovered that she was a rock star director of celebrated TV shows such as M*A*S*H and Trapper John, M.D. during the thick of male-dominated television AND one of the first women to ever pilot a Lear Jet. A crush was born. George's fervor to share what he uncovered shines through, leaving you wanting more.

Screens Sunday, December 14 at 12:00pm. Tickets and Info. 

LA VIE NOUS APPARTIENT/MAYBE TOMORROW
89 min/Drama/Austria
Directed by Alex K. Lee

At its core, La Vie Nous Appartient is a buddy road trip...if the road were the mountains of Austria and the buddies were two misunderstood young adults meeting for the first time. With a pact to end their lives, Sarah and Philip trek through the forest and share their struggles with family, depression, and personal fulfillment...y'know... life! VFF loves it for its simplicity and unique look at growing up with modern demands.   Plus, it doesn't hurt that it was produced by Angelo D'Agostino, producer of one of our favorite fest flicks, Little World.

Screens Sunday, December 14 at 2:30pm. Tickets and Info. 

TRAILER

ODD BRODSKY
93 min/Comedy/Los Angeles, CA
Directed by Cindy Baer

Film festival circuit "It Girl," Cindy Baer first splashed on to the screen 10 years ago with cult favorite, Purgatory House, and has honed her directing skills over the years with a series of awesome shorts, including those screened at VFF: Morbid Curiosity (VFF08),  Stalked (VFF11) and Seymour Sally Rufus (VFF12).  Odd Brodsky is Cindy's leap back into features, with a lovable cast that you're cheering on from beginning to end. We can all relate to Audrey -- the lovable loser who decides to f-it and go all-in to following her dream. OK, so her dream is being an actress and she's not that good at it. Who cares? Audrey opens herself up to limitless possibilities and that message is what we connected with.

Closing Night Film
Sunday, December 14 at 5:00pm. Tickets and Info.

RIPPED
100 min/Sci-Fi Musical/State College, PA
Directed by Rod Bingaman

It's the 1960s and British heartthrobs, Norman's Normans, have accidentally rocketed to a planet inhabited by women - Hormone. Using their catchy tunes to temper Queen Fallopia, the band brings peace to a neighboring planet of men and finds their way home.  VFF loved it for its ambition, attention to period detail, and the music of course! We guarantee you'll be singing along with Norman and his Normans in no time.

Screens Friday, December 12 at 9:30pm. Tickets and Info. 

 TRAILER

ROUTE 30 THREE!
94min/Romantic Comedy/Los Angeles, CA
Directed by John Putch

Our opening night feature is a no-brainer. VFF has a long history of screening micro-budget films directed by John Putch, starting in 2003 with Bachelorman, and as long as he continues to make 'em, we'll continue to screen 'em.  Route 30 Three! is the final chapter of the Route 30 trilogy (don't worry, you don't need to have seen the previous two to appreciate #3) and follows the mysterious disappearance of Rotten Egg, a camera that reveals the truth in every photo, and a man's quest to become less boring. We love Putch for his no B.S. approach to filmmaking and for treating his cast, crew, and festivals with the utmost respect. 

Take a gander at this Moviola clip featuring John Putch on the "Making of the Anti-Hollywood Movie."

Opening Night Film
Wednesday, December 10 at 8:00pm.  Tickets and Info. 

TRAILER

SING YOUR OWN SONG: AN OPERA LOVE STORY
61 min/Documentary/Los Angeles, CA
Directed by Anne Davis O'Neal

Music is the tie that binds and this documentary proves you don't need a fancy opera house to sing your libretto off. While many of the subjects have been performing together for over 50 years, others are new to the art, and yet they all share the same level of loss when their venue unexpectedly closes. As the saying goes, "it's not over until the fat lady sings." (P.S., This film has serious "faccia tosta" AKA chutzpa. Bravo!)

Screens Friday, December 12 at 7:00pm. Tickets and Info. 

YOU OR A LOVED ONE
86 min/Drama/Los Angeles, CA
Directed by Matt Mercer

Reclusive illustrator, Parker, navigates withdrawal effects from a pharmaceutical drug trial and, after a chance meeting with Teresa, is thrust back into daily life, and love, sooner than he wished.  Using Los Angeles as a backdrop, we love this film for its authentic performances and sobering situations.

Centerpiece Screening
Saturday, December 13 at 7:30pm. Tickets and Info. 

 TRAILER

Schedule Announcement for the 14th Annual Valley Film Festival

THE FIRST AND LONGEST RUNNING FILM FESTIVAL 

IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY 

PRESENTS ITS 2014 LINEUP

North Hollywood, CA - The Valley Film Festival (VFF) announces another thought provoking and entertaining lineup of cinema so independent it has to be in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, from December 10-14, at Laemmle's NoHo 7.

Providing quality independent domestic and international cinema, VFF also is the premiere showcase for Valley-based filmmakers. Altogether, the fourteenth annual Valley Film Festival provides audiences with the opportunity to discover 45 of today's most compelling films, such as FLYBOY, the newest short film produced by Academy Award Nominee Drew Bailey (MIRACLE FISH, 2009). The complete list of films with ticketing info is available at ValleyFilmFest.com.

The Opening Night program brings director John Putch back to VFF, with the only Los Angeles festival screening of ROUTE 30 THREE!  This final chapter of the comedic trilogy set in rural South Central Pennsylvania features David Cowgill, Nathalie Boltt, and Dan Poole. Known for his work on "Cougar Town," "Scrubs" and "Ugly Betty," John Putch previously screened BACHELORMAN (2003), MOJAVE PHONE BOOTH (2006), ROUTE 30 (2008) and ROUTE 30, TOO (2012) at The Valley Film Festival. 

  

VFF continues to program diverse films from around the country and the world.  This year's features include films from Canada and Austria, and our shorts are in languages including Arabic, Catalan, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Tamil.

We also continue to proudly support local independent production, with over fifteen films made by Angelenos, Vals, and shot in or about the glamorous San Fernando Valley.  Our Centerpiece Screening, YOU OR A LOVED ONE, is a dramedy directed by Matt Mercer that follows a reclusive illustrator as he navigates withdrawal effects from a pharmaceutical drug trial and is thrust back into daily life, and love, in Los Angeles.

Another local production is our Closing Night film, ODD BRODSKY, a quirky comedy about following your dreams, directed by Cindy Baer.  It tells the story of Audrey Brodsky, who quits her office job of eleven years to pursue her dream of acting. There's just one problem: she's not very good at it.  When Audrey meets an aspiring cameraman online, the adventure of her life finally begins.  Cindy Baer previously screened MORBID CURIOSITY (2006), STALKED (2011), and SEYMOUR SALLY RUFUS (2012) at VFF.

Our documentary features this year include some more films made in or about Los Angeles:  GONE SOUTH: HOW CANADA INVENTED HOLLYWOOD (LA premiere) and SING YOUR OWN SONG: AN OPERA LOVE STORY (NoHo premiere).  THE GREEN GIRL, made by VFF alum George Pappy, is an in-depth look at Star Trek icon and prolific actress Susan Oliver.

Our feature films this year also include two West Coast premieres:  the sci-fi musical comedy RIPPED and the drama LA VIE NOUS APPARTIENT (MAYBE TOMORROW).

About three dozen short films round out our 2014 program, including dramas, comedies, documentaries, animated works, and music videos.  Two are world premieres:  INSIDE THE WHALE and ANY OTHER FRIDAY, both playing on our dramatic shorts program.  Our U.S. premieres are the thriller COLLECT and the dramas SOMETHING FOR NOTHING and UN CHIEN DE MA CHIENNE (PAYBACK IS A BITCH).

THE VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL

SO INDEPENDENT IT HAS TO BE IN THE (818)!

Founded in 2000, The Valley Film Festival, a project of Community Partners®, is the first and longest continually running film festival in the San Fernando Valley.  With a mission to join established and emerging talent with adventurous audiences in Los Angeles, the VFF has screened over 500 shorts, features, documentaries, animated films, experimental works, and music videos from around the world.  While emphasizing independent film, the festival also has screened studio productions including BOOGIE NIGHTS, CHINATOWN, ENCINO MAN, FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, MAGNOLIA, TERMINATOR 2, VALLEY GIRL, and WORLD TRADE CENTER.

In addition to screenings, the festival provides educational panels, social mixers, opportunities for young filmmakers, audience awards, and the juried "Ten Degrees Hotter" award for one feature and one short chosen from the competitive section.

THE VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL 2014 will open on Wednesday, December 10 and continue through Sunday, December 14 with daily screenings at the LAEMMLE NOHO 7, located at 5240 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood. Tickets are $12. For more information and tickets, visit ValleyFilmFest.com.

THE VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL
2014 SCREENING SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY - 12/10
8:00 pm - Opening Night Feature: Route 30 Three!

THURSDAY - 12/11

8:00 pm - Girls on Film Shorts Program (Abashed, Lifever, Malakim, Not Anymore: A Story of Revolution, Peluqueria/The Hair Salon, Traces of Memory, Zero Sight: Bad Call, and Zugzwang)

FRIDAY - 12/12
7:00 pm - Documentary Program: Sing Your Own Song: An Opera Love Story with The Man Who Fed His Shadow
9:30 pm - Feature Program: Ripped with Hang Me On The Line and Now You Know

SATURDAY - 12/13

12:00 pm/noon - Dramatic Shorts Program (Any Other Friday, Baghdad Messi, Butterfly Dreams, Collect, and Inside the Whale)

2:30 pm - Documentary Program: Gone South: How Canada Invented Hollywood with The Gunfighter

5:00 pm - Reality Bites Shorts Program (Dummies, En Mi Recuerdo Siempre Estaras/You'll Always Be on My Mind, Le Maillot De Bain/The Swimming Trunks, Love at First Sight, Narcissist, Self Offense, and Winds & Strings)

7:30 pm - Centerpiece Screening: You or a Loved One with Untitled

10:00 pm - Flights of Fantasy Shorts Program (Flyboy, Kiko's Paradise, Look Up in the Sky: Cetus Dawn, The Pradys, Something for Nothing, Spidora, Toca Pra Diabo/A Hell of a Player, Un Chien de Ma Chienne/Payback is a Bitch, and Voluntario/Volunteer)

SUNDAY - 12/14
12:00 pm/noon - Documentary Program: The Green Girl with Cargols!/Snails!
2:30 pm - Feature Program: La Vie Nous Appartient/Maybe Tomorrow with Life is Sweet
5:00 pm - Closing Night Feature: Odd Brodsky with The Co-Star: Master Acting Class

An Interview with John Putch

By James Latham

After beginning as an actor, John Putch now works as a director in television and independent film. His TV work includes Cougar Town, My Name is Earl, Outsourced, and Ugly Betty. Three of his films have won Best Feature at The Valley Film Festival, including Bachelorman (2003), Mojave Phone Booth (2006) and Route 30 (2008); John is currently set to begin filming the sequel to the latter film in December.

JL: Shooting begins on Route 30,Too! in a few months. What are some of the biggest obstacles you’ve overcome so far in developing this project?

JP: Getting the money together and trying to schedule it during a time where no one will miss too much ‘real’ paying work. Since I finance these small films myself, it takes me a couple of years to save up the money to make them. Plus these films are ensemble and collectively minded. Which translates to: ‘it’s not a paycheck’.

JL: Can you talk a little about the ensemble aspect of your films? How does this help your work?

JP: When you say goodbye to the notion that one person is more important than another on the film, you become an ensemble. In my system, everyone is an even shareholder in profits, no matter how big or small their contribution. And since I don’t pander to celebrity driven content, this evens the playing field and focuses everyone on the story and telling it.

JL: You’re planning to distribute the film yourself. What are the main reasons you’re making this shift—problems with traditional distribution and expected benefits of self-distribution?

JP: I’ll put it simply. Twelve years of experience with sales agents and multiple films has yielded almost zero return. Once the sales agent recoups the marketing fee, there is nothing left for the filmmaker. This practice, although not as commonplace as say five years ago, has been ‘the great rip off tactic’ that sales agents have used over the years to cover their operating expenses.

JL: What’s your strategy for working the film festival circuit?

JP: My strategy is also simple there. The more festivals you show your film in, the more presence you create for your title. Remember, the internet is our biggest ‘free’ marketing tool. If my film is in 50 festivals, that means the title will appear on 50 different websites. It will get written up and mentioned in all fest press releases, which may go out to a hundred more websites. The web-crawling search bots will find and index the title over and over and then rank it. I also recommend that film makers not be snobs when it comes to festivals. The days of ranking fests and trying to screen at only the top five are OVER! Note to film makers: Have you noticed that every film at Sundance, Toronto and the like all have distro before being shown? Those fests are studio puppeted at this point. By taking a prejudicial attitude toward lesser known fests, you are basically undermining your own chances for the film to develop a ‘buzz’ and a wider audience.

JL: How did your past screenings at the VFF work for you?

JP: Terrifically! Tracey Adlai’s VFF is a great place to exhibit your movie. Great theater, great equipment, a film savvy fest director all in one. Plus VFF keeps a very fraternal family tree of filmmakers in touch. There are constant updates on the blog and website of alumni activities. Plus a great e-newsletter.

JL: Your “day job” is directing for TV, while your passion projects are independent films. Besides paying the bills, how has your TV work influenced your films, or vice versa?

JP: Funny, I find that if I do not sneak off and do my films, that I become lazy and incredibly stale. TV directing is a different animal. You are really not asked to be the voice of the piece. You are merely putting it together and shooting it for another’s vision. Sure, you collaborate, but your sensibilities and choices are always secondary to your boss’—whether the boss is right or wrong.

JL: Working with low budgets imposes obvious limitations, but what have some of the advantages been?

JP: The less you have, the more creative you become. More limits in any capacity, make you solve issues both technically and intellectually. I find the greatest notions come from the basis of limitations.

JL: What other lessons learned or advice would you give young aspiring filmmakers, especially those who may see indie filmmaking as a path toward Hollywood fame and fortune?

JP: If you are seeking fame and fortune, then I have nothing but pity for you. And you will not get any advice from me. I used to be that person decades ago. Once I figured out the system, I realized that I would never get artistic satisfaction from it. Only money. Best advice: decide what kind of filmmaker you are. Commercial or artistic. Then, shut up and make your movie.